Method of making rubber boots



Nov. 1, 1932. 1 H. BURNHAM METHOD OF MAKING RUBBER BOOTS Filed April l5, 1950 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES? .ArENToFFi-CE LAURENCE H. BUR-NHAM, 0E LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIeNoR To THE E. F.

C-oonarcn COMPANY, or NEW YORK, Yala ConPonATIoN er NEW YORK METHOD 0E MAKING RUBBER-BOOTS Application filed April 1K5,V

This invention relates to rubber boots and methods of making the same.

Rubber boots as heretofore manufactured have had the disadvantages of poor ventilaf tion and of sweating the feet, with consequent discomfort to the wearer, especially in hot weather, and in cold weather have provided poor heat insulation, .allowing the feet toV become cold.

My chief objects are to provide arubber boot having improved ventilation; to provide a rub-ber boot having improved heat insulation; and to providel a rubber boot having both of those advantages in combination. A further object is to provide convenient and economical procedure for manufacturing rubberboots having those desirable oharac- I teristics.

I attain these objects inthe preferred form of my invention by providing a fibrous boot lining of such thickness and of such loose or open structure as to provide ventilation along the inner face of the boot wall, the lining preferably being only adhered to the rubber of the boot wall as distinguished from being embedded in or impregnated by the rubber. The lining preferably, although not necessarily, is of knitted wool yarn, for warmth in conjunction with the Ventilating feature, and for durability. l

Of the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a boot embodying and made in accordance with my invention in itspreferred form.

Fig. 2 is a section o n line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the rubber wall of the boot is designated v10, and maybe reinforced internally with fabric 11. The thick and permeable lining 12 is shown as being adhered` to the inner face of the rubber wall, without extensive penetration of the lining by the rubber, so that the interstices Y of the lining provide good ventilation to the mouth of the boot in conjunction with good heat insulation.

In order that the lining may be of approxif mately the same thickness and have good Ventilating characteristics throughout, as

distinguished from a lining stretched to a thin or an yopen-meshv condition Vin localV 1 kwall which contacts the lining, a layerv of @0rd fabric 15, the cords preferably extending 193e. serial 'nalen/113. y

regions',the lining preferably pre-formed j in approximately the size and shapewhich it is to have inthe finished boot, as by originally knitting it approximatelyl to shape and size, which is best effected by using different types of stitch such as 13 and 14; in the A v foot and leg portions respectively, and by the use of such dierent types of stitching the foot portion of the lining may be made of somewhat more compact structure, as shown, for warmth and for good wearing properties, 1: while the leg portion, for the ready passage of air throughout its length, may be made of looser structure. rIhe lining preferably is longitudinally ribbed, which contributes to its ventilati; ng effect.

For durability and exactness of shape the boot preferably is manufactured by pulling the lining onto an expansible last, building the rest of the boot thereon, and then vulcan# zing the bootin a mold while itis held dis-V tended against the mold by a pressure fluid within vthe expansible last, although I do not wholly limit my invention to a molded boot as distinguished from aboot vulcanized in open heat. l

The high compacting pressure employed in the molding operation makes it desirable to take precaution against such extensive flow of the rubber into the interstices of the lining .8 as would defeat the chief objects of the ini* vention as above set out, and such flow of the rubber may be prevented, forexample, by employing, in the inner region of therubber lengthwise of thel boot,` to give longitudinal strength as well as to serve as a dam against extensive Vpenetration of the lining by the rubber.

Scams, such as the seams 16, 17, are embedded in and flattened against the rubber in the vulcanizing operation, so that the inner face of the lining is smooth. 1

A boot manufactured as described has the important advantages set out inthe above statement of obj ects'.

I claim; Y f The method of making a rubber boot which comprises preforming lining of such thickv y and open structure as to provide substantial ventilation through the material thereof and approximately to its final size and shape, pulling the lining onto an expansible last, building upon the lining the other parts of D the boot including a layer of material next to the lining adapted to prevent extensive penetration of the lining by Jche rubber, and, vby vuloanizing the boot in a mold Whileuholding it distended thereagainst by pressure liuid in the last, adhering the rubber composition to the lining Without such penetration of the rubber into the lining as substantiallyto reduce the Ventilating characteristics Yof the lining. y I In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of April, 1930. LAURENCE H. BURNHAM. 

